Photographer's Custom Display Set

This was a really nice commission! A photographer specialised in weddings wanted a big display set for a showroom that takes place in a fancy flat here in Barcelona, all year round.

She had already found a gorgeous single slab workbench, the traditional style made entirely out of pinewood with slightly splayed legs and a wooden vise on one side.
This was to be the main piece of the display; she wanted to keep the rustic feel but, being from the beginning of the 20th Century, it needed some restoration -and a more adequate finish!

I treated the wood, repaired the damaged rear legs, stained the surface, varnished the legs and vice, and created a 'dipped' effect in an off-white tone to match the other parts of the display and add some elegance without loosing the character of the piece.

A stricking addition to the set is a huge former vanity mirror frame in a 'tempered' French style that I painted with an off-white enamel paint, distressed to highlight the delicate carvings, varnished and polished to get a smooth, satin finish. I also attached a wire mesh to it, so it can be used to hang sample photographs in an nonintrusive way.

Another cute element is the restored book stand that is placed in the middle of the composition, as it is meant to hold the catalog. A solid beech piece, also from the early 20th Century, to which I have added a couple of legs to compensate the height of the frame base that supports its rear side. It is painted in a matching off-white colour, varnished and polished as well.

In order to leave enough exhibit space on the top surface and also to visually 'close' the composition of the set, I have added a small drawer underneath the slab that serves as a card holder. It is a vintage one, completely customised to fit this new function: raised bottom, thin slats to hold the business cards, 'new' front made with reclaimed wood, a lovely cast bronze handle... and all stained in the same tone as the top surface to create a sober background for the white cards.

I hope I'll be able to make some time and visit the showroom at some point, it would be fun to take a peek and also take pictures with the complete display of Veronica's work. Until then, feel free to visit the website of the event here, and indulge in the exquisite images this Texas born photographer creates: http://veronicahansenweddings.com and http://www.veronicahansen.net !

Measures: Workbench - 150cm wide, 37cm deep, 81cm high. Frame - 115cm high, 90cm wide. Card Holder Drawer - 29cm wide, 21cm deep, 6cm high. Book Stand - 35cm wide, 28cm deep.

THE MAKING OF: all the parts, step by step.

WORKBENCH: Here on the right, the 'before' picture.

Below, sanding and treating the bench (severely damaged by wood worms)

Wrapped up for a few days... applying wood filler afterwards (once dry, I sanded off the extra paste -not shown)

Scraping the rust off the vise, and then polishing it. The picture on the right shows the state of one of the rear legs... this one was ok, compared with the other one!

Filling the hollow areas of the rear legs with a paste (specific for wood) that would harden lately- the most damaged one was lacking almost a centimetre and needed further repairs: I fitted a piece of solid wood inside, and also secured a thin slab of plywood to form the new base and even the length.

Staining the underneath of the top surface. Measuring the areas that would be painted later on.

Painting the tips of the legs in white, then distressing the surface to create a matching effect with the frame that would be on top of the workbench.

Time to turn the workbench around and stain the top surface with several layers with a self-made mix of dark, reddish tone. Then, varnish the clamp and legs.

Finally, polishing the whole piece to get a smooth, satin touch.

FRAME: On the right, its original state.

Below, sanding the wood to allow a perfect grip for the paint, and then painting the frame with several thin layers of a self-made off-white tone.

Carefully distressing -and varnishing the piece. Afterwards I polished it, not shown.

Attaching the wire mesh with an upholstery stapler... it was a tricky task, due to the curved perimeter of the frame!

BOOK STAND: Here on the right, prior the treatment.

Below, taking all the sections apart -and sanding them

Treating the wood. Once cured, I attached the 'legs' to the bottom front and started painting the wooden parts with the same off-white tone used for the frame and the tips of the legs in the workbench.

Distressing the painted surfaces -and polishing the hinges

Finally, assembling it all back in.

DRAWER: On the right, the main parts used to build the card-holder drawer.

Below, taking the front part off, then measuring and cutting the pinewood board that would form the new one.

Trimming the sides for a good fit of the new front. Cutting the thick piece of wood that I would use to rise the bottom of the drawer.

Cutting the wooden slats to measure, assembling and staining the whole piece. (I attached the new front the latest to be able to easily stain the interior)

Polishing the handle, and attaching it.

The final steps: cut and secure the wooden angles that would allow the drawer to slide underneath the workbech, and stain them with the same tone as the top surface and the drawer.